FIREFIGHTERS AND EMS!!! Help me out!

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dje101

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Hi all!

I am considering joining the Catholic Church. I recently received my EMT-Basic, plan to become a EMT-P, and eventually (God willing) a Firefighter. I found out that if you miss a Sunday mass, then you are in mortal sin. In my goal to become an EMT-B, EMT-P then Firefighter, I will inevitably work Sundays. How do I have my career that will require me to work Sundays but not stay in mortal sin? Is there a way to satisfy my Sunday obligation some other time during the week? Anyone’s opinion on the matter would be much appreciated, especially Firefighters and EMS. Thanks!
😃
 
If your work, (especially in emergency fields such as law enforcement, firefighting, and EMS) prevents you from attending Sunday Mass or the vigil Masses, there is no issue. Somebody has to be there to respond to emergencies, and if your shift falls on that time, there’s nothing you can do.

Just do what you can to attend Mass when possible, go to confession, and receive communion.

God bless.
 
You must attend Mass if possible, but there are certain legitimate reasons for missing Mass that do not put you in a state of mortal sin.

Among these are illness, caring for seriously ill loved ones, you can’t get to Mass for reasons beyond your control (e.g., you don’t have a license and nobody will take you), there’s no Mass available at all, and work responsibilities – especially in public safety fields like PD, FD, ER doctors/nurses, etc.

If you’re ever in doubt, you can also speak to your Priest (obviously if/when you choose to convert) and receive a more formal dispensation based on your individual situation. In fact, I would recommend you do this anyway so there is no doubt whatsoever.

Luckily most medium/large Parishes have many Mass times, including a vigil Mass on Saturday afternoons (5 or 5:30pm, usually) which fulfills the Sunday obligation. As such, many people in your situation *can *make it to Mass … and thus, should. But if, despite your best efforts, the Mass schedule and your work schedule are truly incompatible, then the Sunday obligation doesn’t apply to you.

If you wish, you can attend Mass on any day of the week. This doesn’t really ‘make up’ for the missed Sunday obligation (e.g., I couldn’t skip Sunday because I didn’t feel like going and then attend Monday and say I fulfilled my obligation)…but in your situation, it might be a good practice to get into if you can’t make it on a particular Sunday.

God bless you, both for your chosen career as an EMT/firefighter and in your interest in the Catholic Church!
 
dje101 said:
Hi all!

I am considering joining the Catholic Church. I recently received my EMT-Basic, plan to become a EMT-P, and eventually (God willing) a Firefighter. I found out that if you miss a Sunday mass, then you are in mortal sin. In my goal to become an EMT-B, EMT-P then Firefighter, I will inevitably work Sundays. How do I have my career that will require me to work Sundays but not stay in mortal sin? Is there a way to satisfy my Sunday obligation some other time during the week? Anyone’s opinion on the matter would be much appreciated, especially Firefighters and EMS. Thanks!
😃
Click to expand...
You cannot satisfy the obligation except by going to Mass on Sunday (or a vigil Mass the night before)

However I’m pretty sure people in your line of prospective work can receive a dispensation to miss Mass.

God bless you for choosing to save lives. I wish you well in your training and your consideration of the Church.

God bless,

Peter
 
LDNCatholic said:
You cannot satisfy the obligation except by going to Mass on Sunday (or a vigil Mass the night before)

However I’m pretty sure people in your line of prospective work can receive a dispensation to miss Mass.

God bless you for choosing to save lives. I wish you well in your training and your consideration of the Church.

God bless,

Peter
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I doubt you even need a dispensation.
 
A Priest once told me that if you were unable to make Mass on Sunday because of, in your case, and sometimes mine, Job Requirements, then as long as you go to mass sometime that week, then you have met your Obligations.
 
Good luck on your vocation as an EMT. I was one for 18 years and it was a very humbling experience. I have attended church in uniform when I ran a call close to time for services. I scared some people who came to church when they saw me. They thought someone needed EMS there at church.

As time has gone on, I have found that God placed me where He wanted me, not where I thought I ought to be. I was in a Sam’s club after church on Sunday and we went to the snack bar to get a pizza. A worker had just gotten a call saying that her son was breaking out in hives and foaming at the mouth. She was not allowed to leave, since she was the one who had to close. Some months ago, I met the manager on my road while my wife and I were out walking. She had some horses get out and gave me her phone number to call in case we saw them. I called her and talked to her husband about the woman not being able to leave. The worker was on the way home in just a few minutes. Coincidence? You decide.

As others have stated, talk to your priest about this matter. It is part of his pastoral duties to help you work out ways to meet your obligations. Stay safe and do your best.
 
I preferred to get a dispensation from my priest. My problem always was when I was on nights. Technically I could make a Mass, but it would have been like going to Mass at 2:00 in the morning on a night that you had to get up and put in another 12 hours. It was not realistically feasible that I could do this and maintain my health and alertness. Therefore, I got a dispensation for my own peace of mind.

Whether dispensed this way for the other reasons listed above, Sunday obligation is never moved to another day. Yes, it is laudable to attend Mass some other time, but it is not on obligation under penalty of sin.
 
There are many parishes and vigil masses. You’re not obligated to go to your own parish so I suggests you look up other parish mass times if yours doesn’t have a Saturday night vigil mass. The sacrifice of the mass is worth the drive. You’re posting this thread tells me that you agree with this.

Now if the job prevents you from doing any of this (i.e. a big fire Saturday evening that runs into Sunday or at least all night that exhausts you. Also, if you are held at work for manpower on Sat. and Sunday is your regular shift)) then I’m sure you’re forgiven, but confess it either way.

I’ve been on the job (three depts.) for 28 years and I’ve never had an issue except for my own sinful ways during my fallen away years. 😦

Pax†

P.S. Good luck on your journey home to the Catholic Church! 👍
 
dje101 said:
Hi all!

I am considering joining the Catholic Church. I recently received my EMT-Basic, plan to become a EMT-P, and eventually (God willing) a Firefighter. I found out that if you miss a Sunday mass, then you are in mortal sin. In !
Click to expand...
then whoever told you that failed to tell you the complete teaching, that missing Sunday Mass has to be deliberate and intentional, and that necessary work, such as medical people and public safety workers, removes your obligation. When you have these questions go back the people responsible for instructing you and ask for a fuller explanation.

Unless you work a weekend shift (as many such workers do) that prevents you completely from attending Mass anywhere at any time Saturday evening or all day Sunday, you can probably find a Mass time and place that works for you on those days you do work, research on your diocesan website.
 
My father was a firefighter and on Sunday when he had to work he was lucky enough to have a church a few blocks from where his station was. He and a few other guys would walk to the church for the earliest mass they could get to on Sunday mornings. He said that in all the years of guys doing that (every shift had guys who would do this on Sundays) he couldn’t remember any of them ever having to go leave mass for a call.
 
Shannon9791 said:
My father was a firefighter and on Sunday when he had to work he was lucky enough to have a church a few blocks from where his station was. He and a few other guys would walk to the church for the earliest mass they could get to on Sunday mornings. He said that in all the years of guys doing that (every shift had guys who would do this on Sundays) he couldn’t remember any of them ever having to go leave mass for a call.
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WOW, that is awesome! 👍
 
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